Seriously: Ten New Food Spots We Have To Try This Summer

It’s summer! It really is! I started writing this new list when the rain was pouring down like crazy in the morning, and ended when the sun was shining and temperatures reached at least 20 degrees, which is the literal definition of Berlin summer. With the new season come a lot of news in the Berlin food scene, with loads of new openings of smaller and bigger ventures all over the city: from golden fries, to black ice cream and natural wine. This list should’ve something for everybody – if it doesn’t check the prior lists here.

When opening a restaurant in 2017, it definitely helps to be instagram-ready. This new spot on the border of Schöneberg and Kreuzberg has that covered by choosing the bright red Am Lokdepot building, which has its impressive colorful facade repeated inside. No wonder the location tag features many photos of the rusty red walls, floor, and ceiling. However, not much is seen of the food yet. But the kitchen is headed by experienced Julia Heifer, who used to work alongside Victoria Eliasdottir at dóttir, and later at the Olafur Elisasson kitchen. The menu sounds like a mix of Italian apertivo and contemporary local cuisine, according to this interview at Hey Woman: burrata with peas and lemon, roast beef with salsa verde, and Beelitz asparagus with rye and egg on top. People living in the Lokdepot are already big fans and won’t stop gushing about it.Am Lokdepot 6, 10965 Berlin Schöneberg, Tue–Sat 12:00–21:00

Just a couple months ago, the owner of my favorite place to buy kimchi and have a delicious Korean lunch decided to call it quits. But not without handing over the reign of this tiny lunch space to a worthy successor. Going by the new name of Kimchi Planet, they offer my beloved bibimbap, but also weekly specials, and the super easy and delicious kimbap. Plus kimchi and more to take-away. Can’t wait for my next lunch-break.Erkelenzdamm 45, 10999 Berlin Kreuzberg, Mon—Fri 12:00–19:00

Disclaimer first, I’ve already eaten here, and the place is run by one of my closest friends. However, allow me to say it’s the most exciting summer place – Nele Heinevetter took over the imbiss at Sommerbad Humboldthain, and is going to run it as a fries-and-art hybrid, serving excellent fries while curating an art program. The official opening for the first exhibition “POOL” is this Friday, with works by Søren Aagard, Broken Dimanche Press, Marvin Gaye Chetwynd, Creamcake, Sofia Duchovny, Hervé Humbert, Michael Kleine, Kris Lemsalu, Zoë Claire Miller, Alejandro Almanza Pereda, Mary Audrey Ramirez, Jen Rosenblit, Starship, Markus Wirthmann, Samson Young, and more. I’m not sure whether they’ll serve fries then… so put it on your to-be places this summer.Wiesenstraße 1, 13357 Berlin Wedding, daily 10:00–18:00

Starting in Kreuzberg or Neukölln, and then venturing to Mitte with a second location is obviously a trend among Berlin gastronomy people (see Five Elephants or Silo‘s Commonground, for instance). My favorite natural wine bar, Jaja, now did exactly that and opened a shop on Linienstraße, that seems to be made as much for buying bottles, as it is for trying them. A pretty good excuse to hang out in Mitte more.Linienstraße 114, 10115 Berlin Mitte, Tue–Sat 14:00–21:00

There aren’t many reasons to enter Friedrichshain’s Revaler Straße, but this could sure be one of them: Khwan opened a (temporary?) spot in the old Craft & Smoke building to serve their Thai inspired bbq dishes, that they grill in a wood fire pit! Every Sunday from 11:00, they’re experimenting with brunch barbecue dishes like grilled oyster, sausage and egg, and pandan pancakes. Sounds promising!Revaler Str. 99, 10245 Berlin Friedrichshain, Thu 18:00–22:00, Fri–Sat 18:00–00:00, Sun 10:00–17:00

The Berlin organic supermarket just opened its biggest space yet, and the description sounds enticing: not only is it obviously build according to the latest ecological and sustainable building standards, it’s also completely devoid of plastic bags, features a big range of bulk items like nuts, rice, grains, pasta, and even gummy bears, as well as water and milk to bottle. All the displays are built by a local workshop for people with disabilities, the furniture in the bistro comes from a project for refugees, there’s a cheese humidor, a pop-up-space for start-ups, and beehives! As usual, the market features a big range of local products, with loads of very small producers and manufacturers.Yorckstraße 35-42, 10965 Berlin Kreuzberg, Mon–Sat 08:00 bis 21:00

Markthalle Neun is great, but it seriously lacked a place for salad. This is now solved: Salad-enthusiast Stella from Neukölln’s Weserstraße will be there every Friday and Saturday to share their creative, delicious, and fresh salads with you hungry people. Either to take home, or to eat on the spot. It coincides with the regular farmers’ market, thus making the perfect trip to stock up for the weekend.Eisenbahnstraße 42/43, 10997 Berlin Kreuzberg, Fri & Sat 10:00–18:00

Shortly after finishing this year’s ice cream guide, I stumbled upon this newbie, and it’s a club I’d easily become a member. Their Mexican vanilla ice cream is actually a deep, deep black, making it the most instagrammable ice cream flavor of the year. Unfortunately, rumour has it the taste can’t quite live up to the visual. Will have to try.Schlesische Straße 7, 10997 Berlin Kreuzberg, daily 12:00–24:00

This is one of the best spots in Neukölln, directly on Herrfurthplatz, just next to the church, and equipped with huge windows giving every seat a great view of the surroundings. For years, it’s been run as a nondescript café, now it’s been taken over by a former Hallesches Haus kitchen member, re-named and re-furbished, and new home to loads of big plants. From what I’ve seen until now, the menu doesn’t seem to be very exciting, but it could be a great spot for Kaffee und Kuchen.Herrfurthplatz 14, 12049 Berlin Neukölln, TueSun 09:00–00:00

I’m a huuuuuge fan of fries, and I’ve been known amongst my friends as an advocate for fries with toppings – like kimchi. Or, to go a bit further, vanilla ice cream (seriously, dip fresh fries into a vanilla milkshake and you’ll be in heaven), so this place is high on my list: it’s a fancy fries shop. And they don’t only have fries on the menu, but also a vanilla milkshake (with oreos)! As well as other toppings like roast beef, radish, and garden cress. Or a pretty wild one (that even I’d be hesitant to try): fries banana split, with white and dark chocolate, bananas, salted peanuts, and whipped cream. We’ll see about that one…Oranienstraße 6, 10997 Berlin Kreuzberg, Tue–Thu 12:00–22:00, Fri–Sat 12:30–23:00, Sun 12:30–22:00